73 Comments

IMO Gainey did improve this team. When he took over, the team wasn’t even able to compete in the AHL. Yes, he could’ve done a better job and always hasn’t made the right decisions, but he definately did improve this team.

One thing I don’t often get is that several posters here blame Bob Gainey for the current situation the Habs are in. “Gainey ruined the franchise”

What the heck?

Were the Habs contenders before he was assigned the GM position?

No! The team wasn’t even a playoff bubble team.

He tried his best to improve the team and the team is in much better position than it was 5-6 years ago. Stop bashing Gainey. I am not saying he’s the best GM Habs have ever had, but give the guy some god damn credit. Every GM makes mistakes here and then and he made mistakes as well by not signing or trading Streit and other key players. Halak was a major contribution in these playoffs, but Gainey is the guy who brought in other key assets like Gionta, Gill and Cammalleri. He built this team and it went on its longest Cup run since 1993. Give him credit where it’s due.

Guess you will be super happy with what is going on with the French team. Anelka has been sent home and the team today does want to train anymore. This team is in shambles, I hope SA shows them the door.

Anyone who knocks american football has never played it. You have a helmet and shoulder pads that is all… In highschool some little pads for the legs and knees and tailbone. Maybe that guy thinks tennis is tough.

I’m really dissapointed in how ignorant some posters are about the game of soccer. Especially some that I have read for a long time and respected their opinions. I understand that it is not to your taste, but show a little more class than mocking someone elses sport. It may not be for everyone, but the least we can do is respect it and not resort to petty insults.

domenech is easily the worst coach at the national level. the french obviously have goal-scoring problems and he somehow figures that he should drop samir nasri and karim benzema. two young exciting french players that performed well leading up to the world cup (except benzema was out of form for this year, but was good for the 2 years prior).

domenech has only 4 career wins in 3 major tournaments so far. (4 wins in 13 games).

i wouldn’t even compliment domenech for the 2006 germany finals appearance. it was all zidane (as zidane comes out on record saying domenech’s not a coach).

the worst part about domenech is that he has a plethora of talented players on his team, yet he still plays defensive soccer. let his boys run free, and you might actually see a decent football team.

If Mehico loses and lets in two and France beats S.A. without letting in any, we’re in. And maybe, just maybe, the colossal uhh…discord…that’s disrupting the beautiful French harmony at the moment (what with the Anelka expulsion and subsequent mutiny, you know, your basics) will in fact, PULL the team together in ways…I have yet to fathom myself…maybe.

Huh? Whaddaya think? Not bad. Could happen.

Allez les Bleus!

Keepin it real, I be chillin as

L.Bugs Potter, esq. Brotha to the Man with the Plan, Product-runnin Lead Houndogg with the Voodoo Flannel Posse, and Pimp Extraordinaire of Habsbros Mama Jones Snow Cones, muthafugga: http://habsbros.blogspot.com

Not going to happen unfortunately bugs…Mexico and Uruguay will have a nil-nil draw and both go through… See I was telling you the truth the other day about how Domenech saw the french team’s chances at this WC. I hate it when people ask for links/proof…it hurts my feelings.

“Easily the worst coach at the national level”??? So, you know all 169 coaches then, and can accurately guage that Domenech is the worst of them all, yes?

Wow. This 4 wins in 13 games you bring up, how many LOSSES? Give us a break. Italy is 0-2 then, yes? Their coach therefore sucks, yes?

And of course, any fool woulda chosen Nasri over Malouda and Benzema over Dhabi, right? Because that way, France would win all the time, right? Of course…

France does NOT play defensive soccer, Hoya; France is excellent defensively. Nuance. In fact, that’s the problem. When Domenech DID play defensively, with a 4-5-1, he got to the Finals in Gemany. HIS choice, not Zidane’s.

…let his boys run free… What an end-all-be-all statement that in no way refers to what we’re seeing. It’s a 4-3-3 ferpetessakes, what more do you want???

This “plethora of talent” you’re referring to? Are acting like spoiled crybaby brats, that’s why there’s no “decent football team” on the pitch.

Hoya, c’mon. Domenech ain’t the best coach France ever selected, I won’t disagree, but neither is he THE reason for the team’s woes. Same crap we heard about Jack Marty. Same thing. Too defensive, no respect from the players, won’t let them run free…give us a break.

Keepin it real, I be chillin as

L.Bugs Potter, esq. Brotha to the Man with the Plan, Product-runnin Lead Houndogg with the Voodoo Flannel Posse, and Pimp Extraordinaire of Habsbros Mama Jones Snow Cones, muthafugga: http://habsbros.blogspot.com

maybe you don’t understand soccer as much as you think. a tie for a top team is as bad as a loss because you are DROPPING 2 points. not getting those 2 extra points is the difference between qualifying to the 2nd round and not.

why would you compare malouda to nasri and benzema over dhabi (wtf is that?), when nasri should have had a place over valbuena or even gourcuff, and benzema should have had a place over govou or cisse. there are 23 players in the squad, not just 11. wouldn’t you prefer seeing nasri or benzema come off the bench with hunger to score instead of govou or gignac?

they’re not playing 4-3-3, they’re playing the same 4-5-1 they played in germany. the difference is that they don’t have a game breaker like zidane or a younger henry to make the 4-5-1 work. if the french played a real 4-3-3, the results would be different because they would let malouda and ribery go deeper and not require them to hang deeper in the midfield.

patrice evra, the captain of the french team isn’t even playing with the same aplomb he plays with manchester united. is it that he has no love for france and his teammates? or is it that he has no love for the coach and his system? evra’s not making his daring runs down the left flank, and he’s not coming back hard to win the ball. evra has no desire during this tournament and what can you use for reasoning? i blame the coach for not properly preparing his team (hand of henry to go through?) for the world cup, and for picking a team that doesn’t want to win for each other.

for all the crap that JM takes, he prepared and got his team fired up for the playoffs despite a lacklustre regular season, and all the players on his team would vouch for each other.

Hey, maybe I don’t understand soccer. Not a clue actually. I just put words together and hope they make sense at the end. And it’s worked alright so far.

Top teams can’t always win, Hoya, even against perceived inferior opponents such as ITA-NZE as we saw today. No matter how “good” you are, you still have to get past the defence.

Because Malouda is played forward, that’s why Nasri would’ve replaced him. And Benzema midfielder to take over for Dhabi because there was no room for anywhere else AT forward and he can certianly direct play at midfield with ease. And truth be told, I would’ve preferred Nasri myself but I don’t think that’s the difference between the shambles of a team we see and utter victory his presence woulda brought. Perhaps there were lingering fears over Nasri’s readiness at the international level after injujry and perhaps doubts over Benzema’s youth, I don’t know.

What I do know is that Team France doesn’t NEED Nasri or Benzema to perform well, which was the point I was making.

In my opinion, the reason Govou is there is because of seniority and nothing else. As for Goucuff, he’s Domenech’s prized pupil, and Lord Jebus couldn’t’ve replaced him on the squad.

And yes, it IS a 4-3-3, or 3-4-3, instituted in their final qualification games, but NOT 4-5-1.

Totally agree about Evra’s desire.

It’s just that I refuse to blame Domenech alone; I blame everybody, that is, Escalettes and cie (who are the most at fault imo for allowing this prima donna atmosphere to take hold), the coach, and the players.

Keepin it real, I be chillin as

L.Bugs Potter, esq. Brotha to the Man with the Plan, Product-runnin Lead Houndogg with the Voodoo Flannel Posse, and Pimp Extraordinaire of Habsbros Mama Jones Snow Cones, muthafugga: http://habsbros.blogspot.com

Haven’t you heard? Domenech has admitted to picking players based on ASTROLOGY! Is he the worst coach among the 207 (that’s FIFA registered only, Guadeloupe, for example, does not count as they are officially part of France. However, they still have a national team that plays in CONCACAF tournaments, just not FIFA ones) national teams? No, he’s not.

Is he the worst among the top 20 teams in the world? Yes. By far. Worst manager at the World Cup? Entirely possible. He should have been fired after they went 0-1-2 in Euro 2008, losing to Holland 4-1, Italy 2-0 and tying Romania 0-0. 3 games, 1 goal for, 6 goals against.

If you look at any soccer media, whether it’s The Footy Show crew with the Score here in Canada, the Guardian in England, or Le Monde in France, EVERYONE thinks he’s awful.

Of course, this doesn’t excuse his players, who have been crap, but you’re the only person I’ve ever found who actually thinks Domenech is not a terrible coach.

Not “players” picked out’ve astrology, but Pires. Pires is a “player”, not “players”. And that was 4 years ago. And we got to the finals. So more astrology for me, please.

Listen, I’m not out to pretend France is anywhere as good as it was when Zizou was there, and I agree that a change shoulda been made after the last Euro, but that doesn’t mean it’s all his fault is what I’m getting at. As for Holland, EVERYBODY loses 4-1 to Holland. Italy? We beat them 2-1 in the same qualification round and another time 2-0 as well if I’m not mistaken, so please. And Romania aren’t a bunch of nobodies fell off a turnip truck, they’re a real team…or were.

Yes, everyone thinks he’s awful. Agree. And now, the French PLAYERS can use that as an excuse when they play like sh*te. Very, very convenient.

And that’s why I defend Domenech. Cuz in 2006, that didn’t make no nevermind. Can’t be all one person’s fault. And if my Bleus had any sense of honour, they wouldn’t let it affect them either. They’re using the “everybody hates Domenech” angle as JUSTIFICATION for their LAME-AZZ efforts is all I see.

Keepin it real, I be chillin as

L.Bugs Potter, esq. Brotha to the Man with the Plan, Product-runnin Lead Houndogg with the Voodoo Flannel Posse, and Pimp Extraordinaire of Habsbros Mama Jones Snow Cones, muthafugga: http://habsbros.blogspot.com